It's been a hectic time for me lately, so needless to say I've taken a bit of a blog break :(( With unexpected trips, unexpected family events and unexpected illness (sigh...) I just wasn't able to muster up the extra time and extra creative juices I needed to write. Not to bring you all down with me because I'm on the upswing now! So yay!! And thank goodness!!! But I just wanted to explain so you know I didn't just drop off the face of the earth and leave you hanging for your highly anticipated design advice ;)

Now that I'm back and feeling so much better, I wanted to share some important thoughts as those thoughts (turned into action) have helped me thru the crazy times (recent ones especially) and helped me keep my sanity. Truly, what Im about to share has been a saving grace for me and many of my clients.

Since way before I started this blog, way before we started this journey together discussing methods for beautifying and organizing our spaces, I've known just how important the 'calm factor' is in that equation. It's basically the secret ingredient of design that takes our spaces to the next level. And as a result, it takes us to the next level in our lives. Forgive me if I'm getting a bit esoteric here...I don't mean to. But I do want to stress just how important this is. What exactly is 'this', you ask? Well, 'this' (pause for the build up)...is a meditation space!

You don't need to be spiritual or religious or whatever your preconceived notions might tell you, to have a meditation space. Meditation isn't really about that. You just need to be someone who wants to go the extra mile to give back to yourself. And let's not kid ourselves....we all deserve that! We know meditation is proven to reduce stress and help us focus better...we should all be creating meditation spaces and using them regularly for that alone!

To create your space, all you need to do is designate a spot in your home (hopefully away from high traffic areas) where you can take some time to calm yourself, breathe, maybe even reflect on the day or the moment. This can be just a corner in your house with a comfortable chair or floor pillow...or in front of the fireplace. Or if you want to go all out you can devote an entire room to your meditation. I think it helps if you keep the color palette calm too, which equates to muted, washed out tones. We want our minds to relax and brighter colors tend to have the opposite effect. Also I think it helps of you create an altar-like spot where you can focus on whatever is meaningful to you...candles, flowers, family pics or even a religious icon...just a special area where you allow yourself to decompress, breathe and meditate for just a few minutes a day. That's it! Simple, easy-peasy and huge benefits!

I promise you if you do this and use this space you will only be helping yourself become healthier and ultimately happier. And you will be adding an important place in your home that will bring you calm and beauty for years to come. Your first mantra to meditate with...'I deserve this!'Happy Meditating!